Sara spent a week and a half at Desert Palm, battling through the last part of her journey home. As she recovered, she had realized–to her relief and delight–that she couldn't remember what it felt like to be lonely. The cold emptiness that had characterized her life for so long was quickly being replaced by warmth and a wonderful sense of completeness. Sara was used to sleeping, eating, living all alone; she wasn't used to having someone by her side at all times. But she loved the change–more than words could ever describe. She absolutely loved having Grissom beside her all day long. She loved knowing that she could see his face, hear his voice, and feel his hand in hers whenever she wanted. She loved the fact that he would come back to her every morning after work. He had gone back to work a week after the accident, and when she wasn't sleeping, she was counting the hours until he would return to her side and hold her until they both fell asleep. He always held her carefully, showing her just how worried he was that he would hurt her, break her, lose her. His embrace was careful but it was full of love, and Sara surrendered herself into it, over and over again.

Time flew by when she was in Grissom's arms. In fact, time flew like she never thought it could. Despite the pain and the long nights in the hospital, the weeks melted away as if they'd never happened at all. The details of those chilly hours in the wilderness remained fixed in her mind, but they were now fused with warmer memories, with feelings of hope and renewal. The dirt road, the darkness, the bonfire, useless cell phones, the sound of the leaves fluttering, the pain, Grissom's calming voice, the countless stars–it all faded into the present. It all faded into the many possibilities that now lay in front of her, in front of Grissom, in front of them.

This is where it all starts, she kept telling herself. This is the beginning of everything. We've been given another chance to start what we should have been able to start ten years ago. Grissom keeps saying that it's a miracle. But I think it could be even more than that. Every time those thoughts ran through her mind, an unfamiliar feeling of exhilaration surged through her entire body. And for the first time in her life, Sara found herself looking forward to what the next day would bring.

Tomorrow is another day that I can spend with Grissom, she had realized, very early on in her recovery. Tomorrow, I'll be stronger. Tomorrow, I'll be closer to home. Tomorrow is full of potential. Tomorrow is a mystery just waiting to be solved.

Indeed, Sara had been looking forward to the next day ever since she'd woken up in Northwestern hospital. The pain had been more than excruciating at times, and the promise of a better tomorrow had given her strength. It wasn't as good as the strength she continually gained from Grissom's presence, but it was helpful, and she'd needed it in the first few days after the accident. She had needed a lot of things during those first pain-filled days.

And Grissom had given her everything he could.

He had been there every step of the way, holding her hand through the best and the worst of it, embracing her while she wept in pain, smiling when there was nothing and everything to smile about. He had battled with his conscience throughout Sara's entire stay at Desert Palm, and not once had he taken any time for himself. Sara had talked to him every day about the guilt in his heart, insisting that it was unwarranted, insisting that he let it go. She had begged him on several occasions, with tears streaming down her cheeks. Seeing Grissom in pain was the worst pain of all and she knew that he knew that. It was the reason why he was still letting the guilt fester in his heart, letting only a bit out at a time. He was always putting her first, ignoring his own needs, forgetting about his own emotions. Sara was very aware of this, and she knew that it would be a long time before he would be able to let it all go. But she would be there for him, no matter how long it took. She would give him the closure that he needed, just by being there. He had already done that for her, after all.

The only thing he hadn't done for her was allow her to push herself. Sara wanted desperately to challenge herself a little, and she believed that she was at exactly the right point in her recovery to begin doing so. She had been released from Desert Palm two days earlier and Grissom had been staying with her at her apartment, waiting on her, hand and foot. Sara was certainly grateful, and she was definitely enjoying it; she just wanted to make sure that she was making progress. She would have to re-gain the physical strength and endurance she had lost while laying in a hospital bed, and she would have to stop taking painkillers at some point. She wanted to be able to function like a normal human being again and she wouldn't be able to unless she pushed herself along.

Grissom clearly disagreed, and that was why Greg was now lounging on Sara's couch, his feet propped up on the coffee table. Grissom had been forced to attend an administrative meeting that afternoon and he had asked Greg to stay with her while he was gone–just to make sure she had everything she needed. Sara had objected, of course–not to Greg's company, but to the fact that Grissom still thought she needed a babysitter.

"I'm fine," she had insisted, with a small smile on her lips. "I think I can handle sitting here for a couple hours. It's not like I'm going to go work out or anything."

Grissom had given her hand a tight squeeze. "I know you can handle it. I don't doubt it for a second. But you're still weak and I don't think you should be taking any risks."

"Sitting in a chair isn't risky, Griss."

"This is Vegas, honey. Everything is risky here."

He had given her a gentle, teasing scowl, his eyes full of love and the now familiar need to protect her. She wouldn't have been able to argue with those caring blue eyes, even if she tried with all her might–not that she would ever really want to. Those powerful eyes were the world to her. They had kept her going. She trusted them. She lived for them. She would do anything for them. She would even consent to having Greg babysit her.

And she did.

Reluctantly.

And although Sara would probably never admit it, Greg was very helpful that afternoon. He had helped to get her settled in her comfortable, well-cushioned chair, and then he had made her tea, since Grissom had told him to and left out a few tea bags and a mug, just so he would remember. Then he had made himself some coffee while waiting for Sara's late lunch–a vegetarian casserole, made by Grissom–to heat up in the oven. Now, as Sara slowly ate some of the casserole, he was simply keeping her company and doing a pretty good job of it.

"You know–" he said thoughtfully, between sips of coffee. "Finding out about this whole thing between you and Grissom wasn't really as shocking as I'm thinking it should have been." He shrugged, giving Sara a playful pout. "I'm completely jealous, of course. I always thought it would be us, since you and I have had this thing since–"

"Oh come on, Greg." Sara rolled her eyes, chuckling as much as her sore ribs would allow. "No offense or anything but I think that might have been just you."

"Ah, okay, maybe it was just me." Greg grinned. "But seriously though. You and Grissom? Should I have seen that coming?"

"I'm not sure," she replied, in complete honesty. "I doubt it. We never really knew what was going on. We've done nothing but scare each other until now."

"Did you ever talk about it?"

"No," Sara sighed. "Not really. That was the problem. It's always been complicated with us, and until the accident, Grissom was one hundred percent emotionally unavailable."

"And now?"

Now? Now everything is perfect. Or getting very close. Sara smiled. "He's working on it."

"He better be," Greg said, his tone surprisingly stern. He took a deep breath and then gave Sara a shy, protective look, looking pale all of a sudden. His protective look was much different than Grissom's. Greg was all set to protect a really good friend; Grissom was clearly desperate to protect his soul mate.

Sara frowned. "Hey–you can't go and be serious all of a sudden. Especially after being so nosy."

Greg shook his head, staring at the floor for a few seconds. He looked uncomfortable and really nervous. Sara wasn't sure what caused the change, but she didn't have to wonder for long. Greg licked his lips and then slowly met her gaze. "Sorry," he said quietly, awkwardly. "It's just–he's not the only one who almost lost you, you know?"

Sara stared at him, her heart thumping in her chest as she processed his words. God, I'm lucky, she told herself. I never thought people would care about me like this. She sighed, exploring Greg's expression. It was obvious that the accident had been hard on her and on Grissom, but she hadn't really thought about anyone else. She hadn't even considered the possibility that Greg, and maybe even Catherine, could have been emotionally affected by the ordeal. They had been out there, too, after all. Not for long, but long enough to see her almost die.

In that moment, Sara understood the needless guilt that Grissom was holding on to. She found herself feeling responsible for Greg's emotions, even though she knew she probably shouldn't. She opened her mouth to say something, anything, but she didn't get very far. "Greg, I–I don't know what to–"

He stopped her, shaking his head. "Sara, forget it," he said softly, his smile re-appearing. "Just don't get hurt again, okay? It's completely uncool."

Sara let out an uneven breath, relieved that Greg had resorted to humour, as he often did. She silently thanked him for having such an amazing personality and then laughed lightly. "Uncool?"

Greg raised an eyebrow. "Well, I guess you would have been even more uncool if you had given up. You're still here, so you get tons of points for that."

"Oh, thank-you," she replied, playing along. "But I don't think those points belong to me."

"Sure they do."

"They don't," Sara insisted. "They really don't."

"They do. You're still here," Greg repeated.

"Yeah, but there are a lot of people I need to thank for that."

"Grissom. Obviously."

Sara nodded. "And you and Cath. From what Grissom has told me, we were pretty far down that road and it would have–" She paused, fighting back a shiver. "It would have taken him a long time to reach the main road if he'd kept on walking."

Greg shrugged, and slowly, his eyes began to sparkle. "Well, we always knew I was hero material. But really, I gotta say, there's not much to it. Superman is way overrated."

"Shut up, Greg. I'm trying to thank you."

He sighed, looking embarrassed. "You don't need to thank me, Sara. I, uh, I didn't really do anything but watch."

"You were there," Sara replied softly. "And you got there just in time."

He bit his lip, shrugging again. "Catherine drives fast. Way over the speed limit."

Sara's aching ribs stopped her from throwing her hands up in frustration. "Why won't anyone let me thank them!" she exclaimed. "Why is it so hard to accept my gratitude? You guys saved my life and I want to make sure you understand how much that means to me."

Greg stared at her. "We know," he said, as he reached over to squeeze her hand. "We understand. It's just kinda weird, that's all. It's still hard to believe that all of this happened."

Sara closed her eyes for a moment. "Trust me, I know."

"I know you do." Greg gave her a sympathetic smile and then pointed at her almost-empty mug. "More tea?"

Sara nodded and she shifted in her seat, leaning back further into the cushions. She bit back a cry, refusing to let Greg know that she was still in pain. Grissom might be right, she admitted to herself, as she watched Greg move around the kitchen. Maybe I'm not ready to push myself just yet. I don't need to rush my recovery when I have people who are more than willing to help me out. It's okay to ask for help; I'll return the favour someday.

"Do you want some more casserole?" Greg called out. "Or dessert? I make a mean banana split."

Sara let out a tiny chuckle. "I'm sure you do, but I don't have junk food here."

"Bananas aren't junk food."

"Ha. Ha." Sara rolled her eyes. "I will have some more casserole though."

"More of Grissom's marvellous veggie casserole coming right up."

And before Sara knew it, she had another steaming mug of tea in her hand, a plate full of a second helping of casserole on her lap, and she was immersed in a conversation about music with Greg. That conversation seemed to last forever, and by the time Sara finished her tea and her casserole, she was yawning and fighting with her eyelids. I can't wait until I can make it through an entire day without a nap, Sara grumbled to herself. That would be nice.

"You're looking pretty worn out, Sar. Want me to help you to your room?" Greg asked her, as he stood to gather up the dishes. "I don't mind."

Sara was about to shake her head and say no, but then her eyes decided to close without her permission. Don't push yourself, Sidle. Greg wants to help. Let him help you and then you can go to sleep. And when you wake up, Grissom will be back.

So Sara nodded slowly and then she extended her hand, hoping that Greg would grab it and help her up. He did, being as gentle as he could be, and then he helped her to her room, guiding her to the bed and helping her lie down. She whispered her thanks, and he covered her with a blanket, patting her shoulder lightly as she drifted off.

Sara didn't hear Greg leave, and she didn't hear Grissom come in. In fact, she wasn't aware of anything at all until Grissom's fingertips pulled her out of her deep slumber. His fingers were so soft on her cheek and on her forehead, rubbing faintly, carefully, lovingly. Sara's eyes flickered open at his warm touch, and she instantly lit up.

So did Grissom.

She's so incredibly beautiful, Grissom thought, as Sara's sleepy eyes sparkled. He sat down on the edge of the bed, losing himself in those shining orbs. "Hi, honey," he whispered, as he brushed her hair away from her face. "How are you feeling?"

Sara let out a breath, fighting through the now familiar haze of semi-consciousness. "Mmmmm, good. How long have I been asleep?"

His fingertips now dusted across the back of her neck. "Awhile."

"Awhile? What time is it?"

"Just after seven," Grissom said quietly. "Greg said you've been asleep since three."

"Three?" Sara moaned, and with Grissom's help, she eased herself into a sitting position. "Are you serious? I slept for four hours?"

"You needed it, Sara."

"Maybe, but now we'll only have a few hours together." Sara was clearly disappointed, but she managed a warm, wavering smile. "I didn't want to waste any time." I never want to waste any time again!

Grissom brought his hand back to her cheek, stroking it slowly. "It's okay. I didn't get back until around five. Don't worry about it, honey."

"I do worry about it. I wanted to spend some time with you."

"And you will."

"I will?"

He tipped his head, smiling. "I, uh, I took the night off."

Sara was definitely awake now, her face glowing. "You took the night off?"

"Yes. I've changed, remember?" Grissom winked at her, and then he gently turned her so she could swing her legs over the side of the bed. His eyebrows raised when she allowed him to do so. "This is new," he commented. "You're letting me help you without any sort of protest. What did Greg do to you?"

"He didn't do anything," chuckled Sara. "I just decided that maybe I should let you guys fuss over me for a little longer. It's not so bad having all this help."

Grissom's eyes were suddenly flooded with concern. "You were in pain this afternoon?"

Yeah, I knew I couldn't fool him. Sara sighed. "A little. But nothing unexpected."

Grissom wrinkled his nose and he began to rub her arm gently. God, I wish I could just take all of her pain away. If only it worked that way. He searched her expression, looking for any indication that she was still in pain. "But you're feeling okay now?"

Sara's fingers found his. "I'm feeling fine now," she assured him. "It wasn't that bad, Griss. It came and went."

It came and went? How often? Grissom licked his lips, forcing himself not to worry. He knew that Sara was making great progress but he couldn't help being concerned. The image of her lying on the ground, scared and broken, was still stuck in his mind, and he knew it always would be. That night will never go away, he had been telling himself, every day. It won't go away, but it will fade a little. It will be easier to deal with it as the weeks pass. Time heals all wounds, right?

"I know what you're thinking," Sara breathed.

Grissom met her gaze. Of course you do, he told her silently. We understand each other. We're on the same page now. But then again, we always have been, in some way. He took a deep breath."What am I thinking?"

"You're concerned, even though I'm telling you that you don't need to be."

He squeezed her hand. "That was an easy one."

She squeezed back. "No kidding."

Grissom helped Sara to her feet, keeping one strong arm around her shoulders. "You know," he began, as he guided her out the bedroom door. "I, uh, made some plans for tonight, if you're feeling up to going out for a little while."

Sara stopped and she immediately grinned. "Are you serious?"

"Completely serious."

"You made plans? For tonight? Away from here?"

Grissom let out a short laugh. "Yes. I know you're frustrated and sick of being stuck inside, and I want to help. And, just like you, I don't want to waste any more time."

Still smiling, Sara pressed her lips together in thought. "What do you mean?"

Grissom gave her another wink. "You'll see."

I'll see? Sara's heart fluttered with nervous excitement. She was definitely looking forward to going out and actually doing something, but she was more intrigued by the meaning of Grissom's plans. She tried to guess where they were going while Grissom searched for her heaviest sweater and her coat, talking to her the entire time about how important it was that she stay as warm as possible during their outing. So we're going to be outside, Sara concluded, as Grissom gathered the items. But what are we going to be doing outside? She kept on pondering while he helped her put on her sweater and her coat, and she was no closer to an answer when he helped her into the front seat of his new vehicle, cushioning her with a few pillows before fastening the seatbelt around her.

"You okay?" he asked softly. "Are you comfortable?"

Sara nodded brightly. I'm more than comfortable! The most wonderful, considerate man in the entire world is taking me out and making sure that I'm warm and safe. I'm comfortable inside and out! The only thing else I could ever ask for is to know where we're going! She decided to inquire. "So where are we going, Griss?"

He shrugged, shaking his head shyly. "It's a surprise."

"Another road trip?" Sara mused playfully.

"It's not really a road trip," Grissom replied, his blue eyes momentarily full of sadness."I don't think either of us could handle that just yet. We won't be driving for long."

"So we're not leaving Vegas then?"

He moved to shut her door, smiling again. "You'll have to wonder about that for a little while because I'm not telling."

And he didn't tell her.

Grissom drove in silence, with one hand on the steering wheel and one hand on Sara's knee. Her hand rested on top of his, her fingers stroking as they drove along–carefully–in the darkness. Their mystery destination really wasn't that far away, but it was far enough that the lights of Vegas were fading behind them. Sara found herself grinning as those twinkling, familiar lights disappeared. I guess we are leaving Vegas! she thought, as she stared out the window curiously. But I officially have no idea what we're going to be doing outside of Vegas. Not that it really matters! I'm spending the entire night with Gil Grissom and even if we do nothing at all, it will be incredible. We'll be together, and neither of us will be in pain tonight.

Grissom started to slow the vehicle, pulling his hand from Sara's knee in order to steer them off of the expressway and onto a more secluded road, one that was darker, but familiar. He turned a corner and held his breath, remembering the shadowy corners that he had navigated two weeks earlier, just before he'd seen the headlights, just before he'd lost control, just before their lives were changed forever–for the better. But tonight is completely different, Grissom reminded himself. I know this road. I know its twists and its turns. I know that we'll be safe this time. He was comfortably confident, because he really did know exactly where he was. He had been to this specific place several times before, alone. He had enjoyed it by himself, but now that he had Sara with him, he would finally experience it in a wonderful, new light. He could only imagine how it would feel tonight.

Feeling both nervous and exhilarated, Grissom brought them to a gentle stop in a small field. It was almost completely dark now, and the small hills that surrounded the area were just barely visible in the clear moonlight.Weather-wise, the night was perfect, and a temporary calmness swept through Grissom's tense muscles. He used that calm moment, pushing himself into motion. He got out of the vehicle quickly and then moved to help Sara, his hands careful on her back and shoulders. She smiled at him as he grabbed the pillows from the seat and handed them to her, and her smile grew when he opened the back door and pulled out a large blanket, tucking it under his arm.

"So this is the surprise?" Sara asked, blushing wildly. "A field, clear skies, pillows, a blanket–"

Raising one eyebrow, Grissom reached into the back again and pulled out a small picnic basket, presenting it to her.

Now it was Sara's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Hmmmm, okay. A field, clear skies, pillows, a blanket, and a picnic basket. I think I'm getting the picture." She reached up to touch Grissom's cheek, silently thanking him for a night that hadn't even started yet. "I'm just missing one thing, aren't I?" she breathed, as she dropped her hand and snuggled up against him.

Grissom nodded, hugging her close. "Look up, honey."

Sara did, and tears welled up in her eyes. "Stars," she whispered hoarsely. "There's so many of them."

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

She cleared her throat. "It's incredible."

Grissom pressed his lips together, analysing and reflecting as he admired the night sky. "The stars are so far away, Sara," he said softly, carefully. "They're so far away but–" He took a deep breath. "But I–I have never felt closer to them than I did that night."

Sara squeezed his arm, and she slowly met his gaze. "I think I know what you mean."

"I think you do too."

"There were so many," Sara replied, her voice barely audible. "Just like tonight. So many–" She trailed off, watching now as Grissom spread the blanket out on a patch of even ground. He took the pillows from her and placed them appropriately before helping Sara lay down against them. "I remember finding the Little Dipper," Sara chuckled lightly, as Grissom took the place next to her, wrapping the blanket around both of them. "It was the only thing I could find."

Grissom found a comfortable position, resting his head close to Sara's. "And I remember telling you that, if we had more time, I would teach you how to find the constellations."

Sara turned to face him and the tips of their noses almost touched. "And here we are," she whispered. We were given more time. We actually got the chance to do this!

"That was how I was running my life, Sara," Grissom continued, sighing."I always thought that I didn't have the time to do so many of the things I wanted to do. I was always working and always telling myself that if I had more time, I would be able to have a relationship with you. But it never occurred to me to make time. I never let myself think that way."

"But you're thinking that way now, and you're not too late."

Slowly, Grissom wrapped his arm around Sara's waist. "I've been waiting for this for so long, and I shouldn't have." I almost lost my chance forever because I waited, because I didn't really understand time! Waiting almost cost me everything.

"Don't wait any longer. For anything," Sara breathed. "It doesn't make sense to wait."

"I don't plan to," he replied, holding her even closer to him.

"Good." Sara pressed her head into his chest, listening to his pounding heart. "This is perfect, Griss," she said, amazed that this night out under the stars felt so different than the previous one. There were some similarities–she was with Grissom, they were out in the dark, discussing their feelings, falling even further in love. But there were important differences too. This time, they knew that they would have a future together. This time, they could stay in each other's arms for as long as they wanted to. This time, they could do more than trust the faithful stars–they could really enjoy them.

"I was a little worried that this might upset you," Grissom admitted. "I didn't know if it would bring back painful memories–or good ones."

"It's not upsetting me at all. Good memories only," Sara told him quickly. "But really, I'm not even thinking about the accident."

"What are you thinking about?"

She looked up at him, grinning. "How glad I am that you didn't take me to the planetarium."

He chuckled, brushing his fingers through her hair. "Never," he promised. "That's not the real thing, remember? The real thing is right out here." And I don't mean the stars, Sara, he thought, staring into her eyes with an unfamiliar but exciting degree of intensity. This is the real thing. You and I. And we can have it. We can make time for it. We can make all the time in the world for it, because nothing else is important. I want to be with you every day, all day and all night, for the rest of my life.

"I'm glad that we can have the real thing," Sara whispered, her mind in the exact same place as Grissom's. This is the real thing. This is finally going to happen. We're going to be together after so many years of wanting and needing each other. We're going to live for the first time in our lives. Sara bit back a cry of pure happiness; just thinking about it all made her shiver with delight.

There was only silence for a few moments, and both of them shifted slowly so that they could gaze up into the sky and still hold each other, still feel each other. Grissom rubbed Sara's arms, keeping her warm and relaxed while he built up the confidence he needed to really make the night perfect. This is it, he told himself. This is exactly the right moment. Everything is about to change. And God, it's going to be a beautiful ride.

Grissom took a deep breath and brought his mouth to Sara's ear, letting out a warm puff of air. "I really want to kiss you right now," he told her, his voice husky and wavering.

She licked her lips, and they curved into another broad smile. "Well good. I want that too," she replied. "I really want that."

Her words set him free, and his lips found hers instantly, passionately. It wasn't their first kiss, by any means, but the world faded away from them the moment their lips touched. It was powerful, prolonged, perfect. And when Grissom finally pulled away, he had just enough energy to say the words he had wanted to say for years.

"I love you," he said, his voice ringing out clearly, confidently, breathlessly. "I love you, Sara."

Sara stared at him, her eyes wildly bright as she trembled in his arms, silently repeating his words. He loves me. He loves me. He loves me. He loves me. She opened her mouth, trying to speak, but she couldn't form the words. Her brain was temporarily frozen; her heart was beating out of control, pounding, pumping sizzling sparks through her. She had never seen fireworks quite like the ones that were echoing through her body.

Grissom rested a gentle hand on her cheek and she finally found her words. "I love you too," she replied, her voice breathless, like his. She leaned in to kiss him again, and their lips lingered together for seconds, for minutes, for hours. Taking all the time they needed, Grissom and Sara spent the entire night kissing, reflecting, planning, laughing, and stargazing.

One–two–three–four–one hundred–one million.

The infinite stars witnessed it all.

The End

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Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed the last chapter of Faithful Light! It took me forever to post it, and I apologize for the wait. I would like thank you all for taking this long journey with me! I have really enjoyed writing this story and the feedback has been so generous and thoughtful. I am going to try out that new review reply button and thank you individually for all the great comments and suggestions. Thank-you for everything!

Jazz